About the Metro Tunnel Creative Program

The Metro Tunnel Creative Program curates artworks and events to enhance Melbourne city life alongside the construction of the Metro Tunnel.

The Metro Tunnel Project is committed to a program of temporary creative works that contribute to offsetting the disruption across our worksites, keeping Melbourne a vibrant and attractive destination as we build this city-shaping project.

The focus of the program is to encourage community interaction with construction sites and support local businesses at the coalface between site boundaries and where city life begins. The program supports the objectives in the Metro Tunnel Creative Strategy.

Objectives

Through tactical place making, cultural programming and attentive place management, our objectives are to:

keep the city vibrant and moving
think laterally about space and place
remain quintessentially ‘Melbourne’ in our approach
stay true to local character
keep Melbourne liveable.

Awards

The Metro Tunnel Creative Program has been recognised in a number of awards categories:

Finalist, Arts and Events category of the 2024 Melbourne Awards
Gold, 2022 Melbourne Design Awards, for Albert Road Reserve Pop-up park in the Urban Design category
Silver, 2022 Melbourne Design Awards, for the Huxleys’ ‘As camp as Christmas’ in the Pop-ups, display, exhibit and set design category
Finalist, 2022 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for Metro Tunnel Creative Program
Gold, 2021 Melbourne Design Awards, in the Urban Design category
Silver, 2021 Gov Design Awards, in the Urban Design category
Best in Class Accolade, 2020 Good Design Awards, in the Architectural Design: Urban Design and Public Spaces category, for outstanding design and innovation across our program
Finalist, 2020 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for the program of works at our Parkville Precinct
Silver, 2020 Melbourne Design Awards, in the Wayfinding category, for Weekdays Design Studio’s works at Town Hall Precinct
Finalist, 2019 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for The Huxleys
Finalist, 2019 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards, for Pretty Little Things
Gold, A'Design Award, for Pretty Little Things

Frequently asked questions

Melburnians going about their day can discover unexpected delights and surprises in the corners of the city affected by construction of the Metro Tunnel.

There are pop-up parks and events as well as art on construction hoardings and around construction sites.

The program isn't a one-off major event – rather, it is about helping build resilience at seven sites across the city during seven years of major construction works.

You can see Creative Program art and activities at each of the seven Metro Tunnel construction sites from Kensington to South Yarra. Browse the artworks by location.

The program aims to select a wide range of artworks that represents the city's diverse communities. We're mindful of broadening opportunities for artists, city institutions and community groups while ensuring artworks are relevant to the locations where they are on display.

We use a number of ways to commission artworks, including inviting artists to register for our Artist Pool from which we select artists for invited concepts, as well as direct commissions. We work closely with a number project stakeholders such as the arts faculties of local universities, the Royal Botanic Gardens and the Koorie Heritage Trust.

We actively seek out ways to involve art students from nearby universities, art schools and community groups who may be interested in participating.

We actively seek out partnerships with festivals, events and organisations that are impacted by the construction of the Metro Tunnel. We are not seeking to increase our partnerships at this stage.

Send an email to creativeprogram@metrotunnelcyp-pco.com.au.

People walk past a neon-lit mural.